HC Deb 07 May 1903 vol 122 cc35-6
MR. GIBSON BOWLES (Lynn Regis)

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury has any authentic record been kept of what passed at the recent private and other interviews between the Sovereign of these Realms and their Majesties the Kings of Portugal and Italy, His Holiness the Pope of Rome, and the President of the French Republic, as well as at the interviews with the Foreign Ministers of those States; if so, by whom and in what form was that record kept, has it been transmitted to His Majesty's Government, and will it be so preserved as to be accessible to future administrations.

THE PRIME MINISTER AND FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY (MR. A. J. BALFOUR,) Manchester, E.

I would venture to remind my hon. friend that friendly conversations cease to be private if records are kept for official use.

MR. GIBSON BOWLES

Am I to conclude that affairs of State were not dealt with at those interviews?

MR. SPEAKER

Order, order!